Planet Toys Inc., CSI, and Amazon – Round Two
Last week we wrote about Planet Toys’ Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceeding, its role in selling asbestos-contaminated toys to our children, and Amazon.com’s quick response when we advised them that this very dangerous product was being advertised for sale on its web site. We praised Amazon.com for removing the specific fingerprint kit from its site.
On Saturday, I attended the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization’s 5th Annual Asbestos Awareness Day Conference, during which our efforts and Amazon’s response were praised by speakers. One of the attendees went online to confirm our account and came back and told me that a similar product was still on the web site. She was right!
The very same fingerprint dusting powder that was part of the fingerprint kit is incorporated in a larger CSI Crime Scene Investigation Field Kit and that is still available.
I have just written to Mr. Hatch in the General Counsel’s office at Amazon.com asking them to take similar action with respect to this product. I hope to see results quickly, and will post again as soon as there is more news.
This raises a broader question about how online vendors like Amazon and online marketplaces like eBay can do a better job of protecting our children from known carcinogens and how we as consumers and citizens can most effectively bring such problems to their attention. We’ll be thinking about this subject, and invite suggestions from our readers.
Stay tuned for further developments.